


Conversational Krycek

by spookyawards_archivist



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Angst, Vignette, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-07-04
Updated: 2003-07-04
Packaged: 2019-04-27 06:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14419869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyawards_archivist/pseuds/spookyawards_archivist
Summary: Never underestimate the importance of learning a foreign language.





	Conversational Krycek

**Author's Note:**

> Note from alice ttlg, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Spooky Awards](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Spooky_Awards), and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [SpookyAwards' collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/spookyawards/profile).

 

Conversational Krycek

## Conversational Krycek

### by Rhetta

TITLE: Conversational Krycek  
AUTHOR: Rhetta  
**RATING: PG-13**  
CLASSIFICATION: Vignette  
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just let me know.  
SPOILERS: 'Tunguska'  
DISCLAIMER: Mulder and the rest of the 'X-Files' belong to Chris Carter, 1013, and FOX. David Duchovny and Nicholas Lea belong to themselves. Think of this as a friendly loan. SUMMARY: Never underestimate the importance of learning a foreign language.  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: A big thanks to spud and Lisa for the great beta help. 

* * *

Chasing down all the tangents of a vast global web of conspiracy can sure rack up the frequent flier miles. 

Too bad I can't combine all the aliases I've had to use onto one account. 

Probably could have had my own private jet by now. 

"Mulder..." 

I stifle a groan. I knew I should have put him in the cargo hold. 

"Mulder, I know you're not asleep." 

I reluctantly open my eyes. "Wow. Your FBI training still works. I'm impressed." 

"How much longer?" 

I know what he's talking about. He keeps rattling those things like I don't remember putting them on him. 

I rub my eyes and yawn. Slowly. I'm all for patience. "How much longer what?" I say finally. 

Krycek holds up his hands. "You're not going to keep me in these cuffs the whole flight are you? My hands are starting to go numb." 

I close my eyes and lean back into the seat. Still a few hours until we get there. I could use a nap. 

"C'mon Mulder, it's not like I'm going to leap off the plane." 

"I'll keep them on as long as I want to Krycek. I could care less how comfortable your flight is." I smile calmly. "But if you want to leap off the plane, trust me, I won't stop you." 

He gives me a dark stare. "I came to you remember? If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have known anything about those bombs or that diplomatic pouch." 

I shrug. "I'll send you a thank you card when we get back." 

"Look, we both want the same thing here. To stop what they're doing, expose them, before it's too late." 

I can't resist a laugh. "So now you're the champion of all that's good and right and noble? I must have missed the memo." 

He opens his mouth to say something, and I cut him off with a sharp yank on his cuffs. His hiss of pain is oddly comforting. 

"Face it Krycek," I say with a smile, "if it wasn't for your 'conversational' skills right now you'd be having a nice vacation in long term parking. 

He rubs his wrist and winces. "I might find it difficult to 'converse' with messed up hands." 

"You don't need all your limbs in perfect working order to talk." I helpfully point out. 

"I think I do." 

"Then sit back and shut up." I say a little louder than intended. 

I look around the cabin. Everyone is blissfully asleep. For some reason I find that very annoying. 

Krycek smiles. "I could, conceivably, cause a scene." 

I smile back. "I could, conceivably, make you regret it." 

He stares at me for a moment then mutters something under his breath. 

I glance over at him. "I'm assuming that's another bad name you're calling me." 

"Good assumption." 

"Well, you're not getting that thank you card now." 

He sighs harshly and turns towards me. "You really don't care about saving the world, do you? Just finding your so-called Truth. You want all your answers spelled out for you in big bold letters. This is who did it. This is why they did it. This is what it means. Who cares what the cost is to you or to anyone who's unlucky enough to be around you? The Quest is everything and consequences be damned." He looks me straight in the eye. "You're damn determined to die." 

"Hey, if it's the choice between death and listening to you prattle on, by all means. Kill me now." 

He laughs suddenly. "Oh man, I think I finally figured you out." He motions around the cabin. "You just love this! You love uncovering all these 'great mysteries,' thinking that it means you're doing something worthwhile to bring down the conspiracy." He leans towards me. "Hate to tell you this Mulder, but all you're really doing is running around in the nice, little circles they've laid out for you." He smiles. "You're a puppet Mulder. You just can't see the strings. Or, is it that you don't want to see them?" 

"So what," I say, "I should start following the rules like you do? Enlighten me, who's side is it you're pretending to be on this week? I can never keep it straight." 

"I'm on the winning side Mulder." 

"Really?" I glance at his hands. "Doesn't look like it from this angle. Unless, of course, those are victory cuffs." 

"Some sacrifices are worth making. I believe in what I do. And why I do it." 

I laugh. "You believe in saving your own ass." 

"That too. And as much as you enjoy being the 'one man against the world,' you know when we land you're going to be needing someone there with you to save yours." He glances around. "Unless she's hiding under the seat somewhere, I'm thinking it's not going to be Agent Scully." 

"Don't start the 'let's all join hands and save the world' crap again. I didn't buy it the first time you said it, and I haven't suddenly gotten stupid since then." I look around the dark cabin then back at Krycek. "Let me make this real simple for you. All you need to do is translate. Tell me what they say; tell them what I say. It's not that difficult. Do that and then we can talk about your future. Beyond that, I don't want to have discussions with you. Go to sleep while you've got the chance." 

He rattles his cuffs. "Not until you takes these things off me." 

I wonder how hard it would be to get to the heart of a dark worldwide labyrinth of conspiracy with just a pocket English/Russian dictionary? 

He rattles the cuffs again. The man obviously has a death wish. Thankfully, I'm here to help. 

"Wanting to experience the miracle of flight firsthand, Alex?" I say quietly. 

He grins. "Know any Russian, Fox?" 

I lean back in my seat and look over at him. "I can think of a few bad words."   
  


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